FUELAND ENERGY UTILIZATION

ECE4433

SEGi University

ASSIGNMENT 2

WAVE ENERGY

Candidates Name: Ahmed Khalid GasmElseed

Student ID: SCM-031773

Lecturer: Dr.Yap

Date of Submission: 28/11/2017

1 Introduction

Wave energy is an ocean based renewable source of energy that utilizes the kinetic
energy of the waves caused by the blowing of wind across the surface of oceans and seas,
waves travel for long distances at a high speed across oceans and it is proportional to wind
speed as the stronger the wind the more energy is transferred into the wave and the longer
the distance the wave travels. To utilize this energy, it needs to be harnessed and
transformed by special equipment into a useful form of energy such as electrical energy.
Wave Energy Converters or WECs are the devices that can capture the wave energy and
convert it into useful energy sources. Wave power is difficult to capture and it is noticeable
from the not so many stations around the world, However, that what motivates innovation
and development for researching and finding better ways and solutions for capturing and
using wave energy (Goldman, 2013)
.

Oceans cover 70% of earth and they are regarded as one of the greatest sources of
renewable energy. Waves are produced in different conditions depending on the different
conditions of the winds blowing in different parts of the world all parts of the world. There
are places where the winds blow continuously non-stop which makes for an excellent
location for energy production (Goldman, 2013).

Wave energy was first discovered in by Girard 1799 in Paris. The modern pursuit
of wave energy went all the way Japan in 1940 when it was developed by Yoshio Masuda,
a former Japanese naval commander, who was regarded as the father of modern wave
energy technology. Wave energy only gained popularity after the 1963 oil crisis when
Professor Stephen Hugh Salter invented the eponymous Salter duck wave energy device
that was able to convert 90% of wave motion into electricity, generating 80% efficiency
(Conserve Energy Future, 2009).

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 The most common energy produced from wave energy is electricity, Wave power
changes according to different conditions at various locations around the world. The most
common locations of the world with excellent wave power resource are Canada, Australia,
USA, southern coasts of Africa and the western coasts of Scotland (GENI, 2016).

Figure 1.1: Wave energy in kW/m around the world (GENI, 2016)

Figure 1.2: Wave power levels in kW/m around the world (GENI, 2016)

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Table 1.1: Regional theoretical potential of wave energy (World Energy Resources,

2016)

REGION Wave Energy TWh/yr

Western and Northern EU 2800
Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic 1300
Archipelagos (Azores, Cape Verde,
Canaries)
North America and Greenland 4000

Central America 1500

South America 4600

Africa 3500
Asia 6200
Australia, New Zealand and Pacific Islands 5600
Total 29500

Table 1.1 shows that Asia and Australia possess the biggest amount of wave energy, with
South & North America having large amounts as well, due to EU small size they have only
moderate amounts of wave energy, and trailing are Central America with Mediterranean
Sea and Atlantic Archipelagos due to their latitude position (World Energy Resources,
2016).

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2 Discussion

2.1 Technologies

Wave energy is harnessed and converted into electricity using wave energy
converters or WECs, where the converters are placed at shorelines where the impact of
waves with the shore has a considerable amount of kinetic energy, power stations that
utilizes WECs are set up in shorelines with chambers that magnifies the flow of waves in
and out of it, with the WECs set up inside the chambers they are connected to turbines and
generators that convert the kinetic energy to electricity.

The produced electricity is transported to grids that supply demand centres which
connects to individual homes and industrial areas, following are technologies and devices
used to capture wave energy:

2.1.1 Terminator devices

Set up perpendicularly to the wave direction, they can be onshore or floating

offshore it utilizes the air pressure caused by the waves moving in and out a subsurface
chamber, the trapped air in the chamber moves with the movement of the waves up and
down, with a turbine connected to the chamber the air movement produces the work
necessary for it to generate electricity, these devices can produce power that ranges
between 500 kW- 2MW, oscillating water columns are an example of common terminator
devices (BOEM, 2007).

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 Figure 2.1: Shore based terminator device (BOEM, 2007)

Figure 2.2: Offshore based terminator device (BOEM, 2007)

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2.1.2 Wave attenuators

Also known as linear absorbers, are horizontal multi-segmented snake shaped

devices, they are semi-submerged and set up parallel to the waves direction, they can be a
series of cylindrical shaped sections which are secured together by joints that allow a
rotation range, the movement o the waves captured by the attenuators is used to convert
the oscillating movement of the waves to hydraulic pressure by pressurising hydraulic
pistons that force a high pressure oil to flow through openings that is used to rotate a turbine
that generates the electricity (BOEM, 2007).

Figure 2.3: Wave attenuators (BOEM, 2007)

2.1.3 Point absorbers

Floating small vertical structures that consist of moving parts relative to the waves
motion from every direction, they generate electricity by utilizing the hydraulic up and
down movement that is converted to rotary movement and from that to generate electricity,

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examples for point absorbers are articulated rafts and floating buoys (Alternative Energy
Tutorials, 2017).

Figure 2.4: Floating buoys (BOEM, 2007)

2.1.4 Overtopping devices

Also known as spill overs, they are floating structures that functions like dams by
getting filled up by water from waves which builds up pressure, potential energy of the
water trapped is utilized by returning back the water to sea by a hydro turbines which
produces electricity, another way to produce electricity is bu using the energy of the falling
water to turn the turbines (Alternative Energy Tutorials, 2017).

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 Figure 2.5: Overtopping dam (BOEM, 2007)

2.2 Wave energy in Portugal

The first wave power farm in the world is located at the Agucadoura coast in
Portugal, utilizing the pelamis generators the wave farm produced 2.25MW in 2008, the
project was proposed in may 2005 and started operation in October 2006.

Designed by Pelamis Wave power the farm uses the wave attenuator technology to
produce electricity from wave energy, the first phase has only three machines, a second
phase is under development and 25 machines will be added with a power output of 22MW
capable of suppling 15000 hommes with electricity, if it proves to be a success the
Portuguese company Enersis is going to expand the project to produce 500MW of power,
which proves that the market of wave energy is rapidly growing.

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2.3 Challenges of wave energy

2.3.1 Advantages

Wave energy is a renewable source of energy where it doesnt need any

interventions from man to exist which makes it a reliable energy source.

Its an environmentally friendly and clean energy source without emissions or

pollutants.

It reduces the dependency on fossil fuels which makes an efficient alternative and
future energy source.

Can be channelled to remote areas that are hard for other energy sources to access.

Non damaging to the coasts and shorelines with also the protection of shorelines
from costal erosion.

Doesnt affect marine and aquatic life.

WECs are easy to construct and set up with the ability to be upgrade
easily(Alternative Energy Tutorials, 2017).

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2.3.2 Disadvantages

High capital cost for constructing maintaining and connection of wave energy
plants.

Waves are sometimes unpredictable where it can come with a high magnitude and
cause damages to the WECs and plants.

Locations that are far from seas and oceans are not able to utilize wave energy.
Even though, wave energy is considered as a clean energy source, noises from the
plant can cause annoyance to residents in areas near wave energy plants.

Offshore WECs can be dangerous for ships because they are barely visible in
weather conditions and cant be detected by radars (Conserve Energy Future, 2009).

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3 Conclusion

Wave energy is a renewable energy source that exists in abundance on earth, and with
a lot of research and development to its technology it can be an excellent alternative to
fossil fuels, with its advantages out weighing its disadvantage it can be a major contender
in this day and age competition to find the best most efficient and reliable renewable energy
source.

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 References

Goldman, A. (2013). What is wave energy?. [online]. Available

at: http://www.renewablegreenenergypower.com/what-is-wave-energy/ [Accessed 27
Nov. 2017].

Conserve Energy Future. (2009). What is Wave Energy and How Wave Energy is
Converted into Electricity? - Conserve Energy Future. [online] Available
at: https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/waveenergy.php [Accessed 27 Nov. 2017].

World Energy Resources. (2016). World Energy Council, pp.7-8.

GENI (2016). Renewable Energy Resources - Library - Index - Global Energy Network
Institute - GENI is the highest priority objective of the World Game (R. Buckminster
Fuller).[online] Available at: http://www.geni.org/globalenergy/library/renewable-
energy-resources/ocean.shtml [Accessed 27 Nov. 2017].

BOEM (2007). Ocean Wave Energy | BOEM. [online] Boem.gov. Available

at: https://www.boem.gov/Ocean-Wave-Energy/ [Accessed 27 Nov. 2017].

Alternative Energy Tutorials. (2017). Wave Energy and how wave energy
creates electricity. [online] Available at: http://www.alternative-energy-
tutorials.com/wave-energy/wave-energy.html [Accessed 27 Nov. 2017].

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